1998
Boy Scout Troop 325 Philmont Scout Ranch Trip

Thursday, July 16 - Day OneMet at the church at 3:00 a.m. to drive to Indianapolis, Indiana to
catch the "Cardinal" to Chicago. The parking lot for Amtrack does not exist
anymore so we parked the van and trailer in an underground garage (John
to pick up) and hiked to and passed through the Greyhound Station to the
train waiting area. Checked with the ticket agent and made a pack line.
Rick reminded everyone what was expected in the way of behavior and shared
his experience with train conductors on previous Philmont trip. Hiked upstairs
to the tracks and waited approx. 10 minutes until the train arrived.

Most of the crew had not ridden Amtrack before and we were all excited.
The train was a double-decker with passengers on the top level and restrooms
and baggage on the lower level. It had several baggage cars behind the
engines, 6 or 7 passenger cars, an observation car (soup nazi in the lounge
on the lower level), a dining car and several sleeper cars at the end.
No caboose. To walk on the upper level from car to car you had to push
the "open" button and the door slid to the side. The train had originated
in Washington, D.C. around noon the day before and had traveled through
Virginia, West Virginia, Kentucky and Cincinnati. Most of the passengers
were waking up as we boarded. The ride can be described as "rocky".

The train pulled out of the station at 6:12 a.m. and some of the crew
began to explore. About half an hour later we slowed to a stop and the
conductor came on the loudspeaker to inform us that we had been involved
in an accident with a garbage truck that we "nudged" when he stuck his
nose out onto the tracks. It turned out that the impact flipped the truck
on its side and the driver was seriously injured. At least one of our crew
saw the truck on its side as we passed the intersection. The impact could
not be felt as anything other than the normal rocking of the train. We
waited 2 hours on the tracks while the police investigated the accident
and news helicopters flew around taking video.

On the way again at 8:50 a.m. and enjoyed the ride until 12:20 p.m.
when we again stopped to wait for a new train crew. Federal law limits
their shift to 12 hours and the accident had put us behind. A new crew
was coming from Chicago. We waited some more and the conductor informed
us that the cab did not show up so they decided to come down in someone's
personal vehicle. We were on the way again at 1:45 p.m. with the new crew.
Stop-go-stop-go as we had to radio ahead to get permission from 5 rail
companies to use their tracks to get into the city. Amtrak does not own
any rail. Arrived in Chicago at 3:55 p.m. almost 6 hours late. We got off
the Cardinal and saw the damage to our engine. The headlight was knocked
out; there were scrapes down the side and a couple of gouges in the aluminum.
We immediately boarded the Southwest Chief heading to Los Angeles. No time
to sightsee as we pulled out at 4:45 p.m.

The same delays on the way out as we got permission to use the tracks
and finally got rolling at 5:25 p.m. This time we were seated on the lower
level in a handicapped car that was very roomy and we had it all to ourselves.
The announcement came that the dining car was open and the guys feasted
on chicken, ribs, steak and hamburgers.

We met and talked to another Philmont crew who were a contingent troop
that had come from Toledo on the train. They had 67 in their group and
looked sharp in their trek t-shirts. The train crossed from Illinois to
Iowa as we settled in for the night with 5 guys sleeping on the floor (no
sleeping bags - they were in baggage compartment). The A/C was too high
and we were cold. Petro bought an Amtrak souvenir blanket.

Friday, July 17 - Day TwoAfter an uncomfortable cold night trying to sleep in a chair we went
to breakfast to dine on French toast, pancakes eggs and hash browns. Stopped
in several towns throughout the day (Missouri, Kansas, and Colorado) to
pick up and drop off passengers. Arrived at Raton, New Mexico at 1:00 p.m.
and boarded a school bus (with many other crews) for the ride to the ranch.
Our driver stopped at Dairy Queen on our way out of town for ice cream
cones. Warm and sunny.

Arrived and checked in at the Welcome Center at 3:00 and met our ranger-Eric
Meyers-a college student at the University of Wyoming-Laramie-an all around
great guy. Dropped off our gear at "Tent City", went through logistics
and lined up for dinner where we were entertained by the rangers 4 of whom
climbed up 5 feet on the bell and did the "We want to go back to Philmont"
cheer and fell backwards into the arms of the rest of the rangers to the
cheers of the crowd.

Dinner was Salisbury steak, mashed potatoes and gravy, peas, salad,
PB&J and strawberry cake. After dinner went to chapel services and
then the opening campfire to see the Spanish blade, the sheriff and the
Hotel lady. Animals for the day: Antelope and gopher ? cold at night in
the 50's.

Saturday, July 18 - Day ThreeFirst day on the trail - Rick and I got first showers since Englewood.
Breakfast was eggs, hash browns, fruit, and cereal. Got our official picture
taken (it helps the staff identify the victims), moved out of tent city
and did our shake down. Lunch was McRib's sandwich, corn on the cob, salad
and chocolate pudding.

We picked up our crew gear and food. Rick took the valuables to the
safe in the office. No lockers were available so we put our extra gear
in boxes and stored them in the backcountry warehouse. (Apparently a common
phenonomen). Caught a bus to Zastrow Turnaround with a crew from California
who we ended up seeing the whole week. Did some map and compass training
and hiked 2 miles to Old Abreau. Eric advised us that we needed to drink
at least 2 gallons of water a day to prevent dehydration. Turkey noodle
dinner, chicken noodle soup, peaches and cream for dinner. Eric brought
pound cake and cherries for a treat. Purified water with iodine crystals
(Polar Pure), pumped filtered water and hung bear bags. Warm night ? Eric
slept in a bivouac sack under the stars. New animals today - Deer.

Sunday, July 19 - Day FourBreakfast -cereal, banana chips, O.J. Sunny and warm day. High in the
70's or 80's. Tough hike up the Urraca Mesa (which is supposedly haunted).
Stopped for lunch at the water tank at Toothache Springs ? Lunch ? Squeezables,
pineapple & jerky. Saw a mule deer. Beautiful view from the top. The
area had been burned by a "controlled" fire that got out of hand. Justin
saw a "bear" with an orange hide, horns, hooves and a tailÉa cow.
Hiked across the top of the mesa seeing lots of deer and over the rim to
Urraca camp. Met the "I hate Oakies" ranger. Did a cope course ? "Smurfs"
9 points of contact on a 18" by 18" board. 5 blind men "handcuffed" together
going through a tire "porthole" without letting go. The crew worked well
together. Started dinner.

Roger went to the advisor's coffee on the porch. No hummingbird feeders
this year. Crews were in camp from Connecticut, California and Wyoming.
Dinner was Beef stew, Minestrone soup, dried apples for dessert. We ate
quickly, hung the dishes in the bear bag and raced to the campfire. Great
show - 3 guitars and 1 singer. Stories about the lost scout, The rancher
whose hair had turned white, The girl who got pulled through the window
of the cabin and the ranger who was sleeping alone heard 4 knocks on the
door that got faster and faster as they raced around the cabin. Did "thorns
and roses and buds" before turning in.

Monday, July 20 - Day FiveSome of the guys got up early to watch the sun rise. We washed the
dishes from the night before and had breakfast ? pop tarts, cereal, beef
sticks, banana chips.

Broke camp and hiked back up on the mesa and over to Miner's Camp ?
a good camp. Hiked through Stone Wall Pass and past Lover's Leap Camp.
We got a late start (9:30 a.m.), warm day - Lunch was Squeezables ? ham
salad, turkey salad, ham spread, crackers and gorp. Some of the guys didn't
care for the spreadables. Hiked into camp at 3:30 ? missed the activity
(climbing). Dinner was ministrone soup, macaroni and cheese, peach cobbler
washed down with Gatoraide. This camp had hot water! The first opportunity
to take a shower and wash clothes since base camp. Rick and Roger went
to advisor's coffee while most of the crew played volleyball. Two of the
advisors from another crew came in with a stove that wouldn't work. It
turned out it all it needed was some oil in the pump. They had bought 4
stoves for the trip but had left 3 at base camp. Poor planning.

Since this camp had a large staff they rated a cook! The cook had a
huge pot of rice leftover and our guys devoured it! Justin amused everyone
by eating some rice that had fallen on the ground. Animals for the day:
mule deer. Allen discovered that he had left his camera at the last water
stop back down the trail so we dispatched a four-man search team but failed
to find it. (When they returned Allen found it in his pack).

Tuesday, July 21 - Day SixDay 4 on the trail - Got up bright and early, ate breakfast (cereal,
dried pineapple, energy bar, hot chocolate) and broke camp at 7:40 a.m.
for a 7.1 mile hike up the North Fork of the Urraca Creek. Arrived at 12:10
p.m. Saw a family of quail along the way and ate lunch of squeezables and
crackers, Survival or chocolate bar, jerky. The activity was black powder
rifle shooting and blacksmith demonstration. Our crew made a "S" hook.
The weather was beautiful most of the day but it clouded up and we had
a light shower at 5:30 p.m. New animals: burro and dog. Dinner consisted
of turkey stew and chicken soup, peaches and pudding. Rick lost his watch
and was looking everywhere. He found it after a few minutes on his other
wrist (must be the altitude). Two of the mountain men (scratcher, picker
and flicker) came to the campsite and wanted to see Rick privately. We
all thought someone had gotten into some trouble. When Rick came back to
the campfire he said he had some newsÉMike and Ryan got final approval
of the rank of Eagle!!! High fives all around! Tomorrow: Beaubien, Phillips
Junction, Porcupine, Crooked Creek and Comanche Camp.

Wednesday, July 22 - Day SevenLight rain last night. Allen and Eric lost their tent bags. Breakfast
was oatmeal, jerky, energy bar. Hiked to Beaubien and saw the cows. Next
was Phillips Junction to get re-supplied with three days supply of food.
Refilled two fuel bottles and hit the camp store for cookies and chips.
Eric found the tent bags in his hat in his pack. Lunch was squeeze cheese
and crackers, beef jerky, dried apricots. Eric spelled his name in cheese.

The weather was excellent as we hiked up past Porcupine Camp and to
Crooked Creek for homesteading program. Saw the log cabin, cats, sheep,
chicken, mule, cow and teeter totter. We cut down some small trees for
the roof on the shed. Removed the branches and bark and nailed them on.

It started to rain with some hail mixed in as we hiked into Comanchie
Camp to set up camp in a drizzle. Joe saw a bobcat near the camp. Dinner
was spaghetti and breadsticks. Everyone thought it was great. Rained lightly
all night.

Thursday, July 23 - Day EightWet in the morning but not raining. We packed up damp gear and hiked
about one hour up the Rayado Creek towards Clear Creek Camp and the Rocky
Mountain Fur Company when Scott thought he had left his smellable bag with
his film back at camp. After a search of the backpacks it was decided that
4 guys (Scott, Joey D, Ryan and Joe S.) would go back to find it but to
no avail. (It was later found in his tent bag).

At the R.M.F.C. we threw tommy hawks into a log target and heard a great
cabin talk including the caution not to feel around under the bunks for
fear of getting caught in the rat traps. We unpacked our gear and dried
it out in the sun while munching on lunch (Louisiana red beans and rice,
strawberry cheese cake, etc). We loaded Aaron up with extra water since
the next camp dry.

Back on the trail to Mt Phillips (11,721 feet) the highest point on
our trek. We noticed lots of troops had arranged light and dark colored
rocks at the summit into little memorials showing their troop number and
date. Strange ? almost like graffiti. Lots of crews showed up while we
were there. Great view of Mount Baldy. We took LOTS of pictures. It turned
gray and a storm (with lightning) blew up so we left for Comanche Peak
Camp where we substituted a lunch for a dinner (dry camp). It never did
rain much but the wind blew most on the night. Some went to the rock outcropping
to watch the sun set.

Friday, July 24 - Day NineSome of the guys got up to see the sun rise. After breakfast we hiked
past Thunder Ridge Camp into Sawmill Camp ? All downhillÉEric slipped
and fell down on a 4WD road and had to dig gravel out of his hand. The
program activity was 30.06 rifle shooting and the weather was cool. Each
of us learned how to reload 3 cartridges. It started to rain but we hiked
to the range anyway and shot up targets and personal gear. Back at camp
we had squeezables and set up the tents. Lost 8 tent stakes. The rain stopped
and some took the opportunity to take showers and wash clothes (tub and
washboard). This water heater was wood fired.

Saturday, July 25 - Day TenBroke camp (found the 8 tent stakes) and headed for Cimarroncito camp
for our conservation project. We sawed some huge logs with a 5-foot 2-man
cross cut saw and stacked a bunch of firewood. Sweet Sara was in charge
of our project and the crew really enjoyed the work. We checked out a council
ring with a lot of old totem poles, many from Ohio. On our way to Ute Gulch
Commissary for a new supply of food Justin nearly hiked right into a barbed
wire cattle gate. The staff was starting lunch break when we arrived so
we had to wait on them.

After getting our food, the crew voted to hike up and over Deer Creek
Mesa to get to Harlan Camp. The climb was tough and it started to storm.
We were treated to a spectacular light show as the storm approached. We
hiked past Devil's wash basin and Deer Lake Mesa Camp and down the other
side of the mesa arriving at Harlan at 5:15 p.m. Dinner was chicken noodle
soup, chocolate pudding, etc. Cloudy and threatening rain at dinnertime.
Burro races after dinner were enjoyed by all. Some of the crew had finally
developed some very interesting blisters.

Sunday, July 26 - Day ElevenA WET day! Light rain overnight. Got up and ate a leisurely breakfast
of golden grams, nutrigrain bars, hot chocolate and orange drink. We hiked
to shotgun shooting at 9:00 a.m. in a light rain. We crowded under a corrugated
roof with the launchers. Jake and Roger nailed 3 of 3 pigeons. Our day's
hike was in 3 or 4 hours of rain as we went past Cathedral Rock and Cimarroncito
Reservoir. We waded through knee deep water at the base of the reservoir
and climbed a steep rock canyon wall with backpacks to get to Clark's Fork
Camp. Obviously not the correct trail!

At the camp we crowded onto the porch with 5 other soaked crews and
slurped up hot chocolate. We were all wet and cold as we began to set up
camp. Luckily the rain stopped and the sun came out to warm us up. With
dry clothes on we ate a squeezable lunch and relaxed.

Dinner that night was the much-anticipated chuck wagon dinner cooked
for us. It consisted of beef stew, peaches, crackers cookies and hot chocolate.
It really hit the spot! Then we met "Larry the movie star". Larry was on
the staff (of course they all wore cowboy hats, boots and clothes) and
helped us brand our boots, souvenirs, clothes, hats, etc. He told us the
story of his 15 minutes of fame: When he was about 14 years old he was
in a movie with Cary Grant. It is called "Portrait" and is on TNT once
in a while. He had TWO parts in the movie ? a waiter and a guy that rode
his bicycle into Cary. Watch carefully. (Let me know if you see that it
is going to be on TV). His famous quote is "I made more in 5 minutes on
the screen than I will make all summer at Philmont". Advisor's coffee
and campfire that night was cancelled due to the rain. Later, a few of
us braved the weather and went back to the staff cabin porch were Larry
and some of the others were playing violin, guitar and harmonica.

Monday, July 27 - Day TwelveIt rained lightly all night and we were all at least damp. Jake, Justin
and Joey D went for a horseback ride in the morning. They rode over past
the base of the Tooth of Time and saw some wild turkeys and deer.

We packed up late and hiked South to Shaefer's Pass where the trail
turned West and up to Schaefer's Peak. Two maps conflicted as to the correct
trail and we got turned around and were "misplaced: for awhile. We figured
it out and hiked back up the other side and saw the ladybugs at the top.
We continued East along the Tooth of Time Ridge, past the base of the Tooth
and arrived at camp at 6:30. Dinner was chicken & rice and apple brown
Betty. Rick injured his knee when he jumped over Mike at camp.

Tuesday, July 28 - Day ThirteenThe next morning everyone except Joe, Justin, Alan and Mike hiked up
to the top of the Tooth. Great view!

Breakfast was pop tarts, oatmeal and hot chocolate. Rick, Aaron and
Roger compared beards. The weather was cool and overcast. Alan, Jake and
Eric climbed on some huge boulders. Loaded up and pulled out at 8:30 a.m.
hiking for Base Camp. Rick lost his camera lens cap and found it a short
distance back on the trail. We passed a strange tree trunk decorated with
old cow (I think) bones on the trail. Base Camp was in sight much of the
time as we hiked down the last mountain. At 10:30 a.m. we went under the
gate that proclaimed "YOU MADE IT!" and hiked into Base Camp a lot more
scraggly, skinny and stronger than when we had hiked out 11 days before.
After getting tent assignments at the Welcome Center we got showers and
ate lunch (hot dogs, baked beans and mixed veggies) ? Delicious REAL FOOD!
Then we turned in the crew gear and visited the Post Office where Ryan,
Scott and Roger got mail. After checking in at Logistics and getting our
money from the safe and making reservations for the following day for the
Rayado tour at Administration we hit the trading post. Next we caught the
shuttle bus to town (Cimarron) where we feasted on pizza at Simple Simon's
and ice cream malts and shakes at the Art Gallery.

Upon returning to camp some of the guys immediately ate dinner, others
did laundry or played basketball.

Closing campfire consisted of singing some songs and skits including
news and sports and several "top ten" lists. The Crew Chiefs were recognized
and our patches were passed out. An Indian closed the evening as he spoke
about how young men build up stature and strength as they mature, then
we hiked back to tent city. Roger went to the cracker barrel to talk to
and compare notes with other leaders.

Wednesday, July 29 - Day FourteenWe were awakened to Justin yelling "There's a skunk in my tent"! Apparently
skunks like Cliff bars. The skunk beat a hasty retreat to another tent
in the next row. After a breakfast of eggs, sausage, coffee cake and oranges
we hopped on the bus to the Kit Carson Museum where we saw the blacksmith
shop, tack room great room and kitchen. Luckily there was an encampment
there that week which consisted of adults and children dressed in clothing
of the era. They were a branch of the army - topographical engineers and
surveyors who made maps for explorations in the area. They sent reports
to the Congress describing plants and animals the found on their explorations.
Our tour got cut short and we did not get to see the Dragoons on horseback
because the bus arrived and we had to leave. After a lunch of McRibs sandwiches
we went to the Seton Museum to get souvenirs and gifts. Back at the Welcome
Center we saw the Toledo contingent come in off the trail as we waited
for our ride to Raton. Joey D and Mike did some patch trading with a troop
from Japan. Mike tried to swap his troop shirt with all the patches sewn
on for some stuff but the guy could not get to his packed duffel bag. At
3:00 p.m. we boarded the bus for home and headed for town. The driver asked
if we wanted to be dropped off at El Matador for some EXCELLENT Mexican
food so we accepted the offer. Then a quick trip to the grocery store for
some "train food" and on to the station where we were informed the train
was running 2 hours behind schedule! We all sat around and explored the
area while Rick was trying to get some pictures on the other side and almost
got caught by the Train Master. At 8:00 p.m. the train finally showed up
and we loaded our gear and settled in for a long night sleeping in a chair
? a bad thing.

Friday, July 30 - Day FifteenThe next morning's breakfast was eggs and French toast. As the scenery
flew past we could see many flooded fields from recent rains. At the Kansas
City stop we lost Flounder when Troop 216 got off for good. It was overcast
and cloudy as I got off for 5 minutes to stretch my legs. We were only
running one hour late now. Stop and go all day ? running 3 hours late ?
may get in around 6:30 or so. The weather cleared up and was sunny as some
of the guys made friends with some girls on the train. Changing trains
at Chicago we headed Southeast to Indy arriving after midnight. We loaded
the Troop van and trailer and headed for Englewood arriving around 3:30
A.M.